1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of industrial textile raw material processing. It relates to processors for the sensory control of a protection system on a textile machine, as well as to a bale removal machine.
2. Related Art
The loosening of bale-like raw material and the successive delivery thereof to cleaning and carding means are generally carried out by the layerwise removal of bales using a rapidly rotating removal roller equipped with tearing pins. Corresponding bale removal machines are, e.g., provided with a removal member, which is guided from above over the raw textile bales arranged in the form of rows.
Exposed parts of the rapidly rotating removal roller can constitute a danger for the operating personnel, particularly if people are working in an unsupervised manner on the machine. This danger always occurs if the downwardly open area of the removal member with the removal roller is not completely and directly over the bale to be processed.
Thus, in the case of such bale removal machines, protective measures are taken. For example, mechanical protective mechanisms are known, such as, e.g., flaps which, as soon as a dangerous situation occurs, cover the danger area and prevent any intrusion into said area. Another mechanical means with mechanical protective mechanisms is known from Swiss patent application 2956/89 of the same Applicant. The latter invention makes use of lateral, rigid or movable protective plates and/or movable covers below the removal rollers.
In addition, protective mechanisms with a sensory system are known from Swiss patent applications 120/89-1 and 4164/89 of the same Applicant. Such means ensure a monitoring of the removal member by means of sensors and/or mechanical protective mechanisms. In the case of purely sensory monitoring, in the front area and/or laterally of the removal member, sensors are provided, which form a protective curtain. If an object penetrates the monitoring area, then it is recorded by the protective curtain and corresponding protective measures are initiated.
In the case of the sensory monitoring of the danger area of the removal member, the difficulty exists that any object is detected by the sensors and, in particular, also the textile bales. Thus, according to a preferred variant of the aforementioned bale removal machines of Swiss patent applications 120/89-1 and 4164/89, it is proposed to use infrared sensors, which do not detect the actual textile bales. However, when infrared sensors are used difficulties can be encountered by pronounced fluctuations in the ambient temperature.
In order to avoid undesired reactions of the sensor system in the case of sensors which also detect the bales, Swiss patent application 4164/89 proposes that account be taken of the bale profile. However, for using the bale profile the latter must be known, or it must be possible to reveal it to the machine by scanning. In the case of an unknown bale profile or, if no prior scanning of the bale profile is possible, said measure proves to be inadequate.